


The Other Twins

by stardropdream



Category: Shiritsu Horitsuba Gakuen
Genre: F/M, Implied Underage, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-13
Updated: 2013-01-13
Packaged: 2017-11-25 08:11:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/636876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardropdream/pseuds/stardropdream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yuuy and Syaoron place a bet to see whose brother will confess to their potential love interest first</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Other Twins

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on LJ August 28, 2008.

It was a cool, rainy day on Horitsuba campus. The clouds, grey and hanging low in the sky, did little to lift the spirits of the students, clonking their way through the long school day. Even the school itself lacked its usual shine—the walls seemed dull, the teachers seemed distracted, the students seemed uninterested. Homework was met with groans, louder than they ever had been before. Enthusiasm for sports was almost nonexistent, much to Kurogane’s chagrin. Even Yuuko, known for her spontaneous and eccentric attitude throughout the school, spent her days in her office, sagging in her office chair and watching the puddles gather rain with a frown.   
  
Yuuy, for his part, didn’t mind the rain. He found it comforting, relaxing. Natural. He spent his afternoons grading (his brother’s students’) papers looking out the window, through streams of running raindrops, and smiling. When he walked home, the smell of the air was enough to make him feel refreshed for the rest of the day. To help his downtrodden students, the cooking classroom typically was filled with the smells of cookies and cakes, in an attempt to get some of the warmth back into the students. It worked, for the most part, and his students responded cheerfully to his lessons, though it was clear they were all longing for sunshine again.   
  
The bell signaling the end of classes for the day chimed in the distance. Sitting at the window to his classroom, Yuuy watched the students slowly file out, opening umbrellas and pulling up hoods of rain jackets. They streamed out, walking briskly to get out of the rain, but even that seemed lethargic. He sighed and his breath ghosted over the glass he leaned his cheek against. It was cool. Refreshing.   
  
“Yuuy-sensei, classes are over, shouldn’t you be heading home?”   
  
Yuuy turned away from the window, surprised by the second voice in the classroom. When he recognized who it was, he smiled softly in welcome. “Syaoron-kun,” he greeted. “Hello.”  
  
Syaoron nodded and walked over to his teacher’s side, striding across the narrow classroom with purpose and confidence, something he’d missed seeing in his students for some time. Yuuy remained smiling, but slowly turned his face away, resting his cheek on the windowsill this time, watching the throng of students shifting across the campus towards the school gates, where they would go off to their dorms or home.   
  
“Cooking club is today, so I stay after,” Yuuy explained, soft-spoken as ever. Somehow, now, it seemed unnatural to speak loudly. It was that kind of day.   
  
“My little brother loves the club,” Syaoron agreed. “He always comes home and tires to cook whatever he made in the club.”  
  
“He works hard,” Yuuy agreed. “Sakura-chan and Watanuki-kun are very good cooks, too. The club is small in size, but the students in it work hard.”  
  
Syaoron walked to the other side of the window, standing near his teacher. He crossed his arms and leaned against the windowsill opposite Yuuy. He released the tiniest of sighs, tilting his head and peering out the window. There, he saw two figures walking away under an umbrella. He recognized the outfits.  
  
“It seems as if Fye-sensei and Kurogane-sensei are getting along really well,” he commented, squinting at the pair through the rain.  
  
“Mm,” Yuuy agreed. “I’m glad. Fye seems very happy, happier than I’ve seen him in a long time.”  
  
“It’s because his brother is here and someone he cares about is near him,” Syaoron said. “It’s the same for Syaoran.”   
  
“Yes,” Yuuy agreed. “I’m glad that he can be happy and find someone like that for him.”  
  
“It’s one of the nicer things about being twins,” Syaoron said, “You get to see your brother find his happiness.”  
  
“Syaoron-kun knows a lot about these things.”  
  
“So do you,” Syaoron laughed.  
  
“Then you’re happy your brother has found Sakura-chan?”   
  
“So it’s obvious even to Yuuy-sensei that he likes her.”   
  
“Syaoran-kun is too honest to be able to hide something like that.” Yuuy laughed quietly and traced his finger along the area of the window that was fogged over from his breath. He drew a little heart idly. “During the club, I can tell they both care a lot for each other. Getting one of them to say it, though, is an entirely different matter.”   
  
“He gets embarrassed if you point it out.”  
  
“He’s very easily flustered,” Yuuy agreed.   
  
“It’s cute to make him blush,” Syaoron added, smirking.   
  
“Fye’s too bold to blush over things like that,” Yuuy said, laughing. “Besides, I’m not very good at teasing. That was always Fye’s area of expertise.”   
  
“It’s because Yuuy-sensei is too gentle and kind. You two twins are only similar in looks.”   
  
“We used to switch places a lot,” Yuuy said, recalling the distant memories of their childhood together. “But it never lasted for too long. ‘Fye’ was always too polite and soft-spoken and ‘Yuuy’ was always too teasing.”   
  
“Syaoran and I are very different but people always get us confused,” Syaoron lamented with a tiny sigh.   
  
“You’re still young. Once you grow into adults it’ll be easier to tell,” Yuuy reassured.   
  
“Maybe I should grow my hair out like Yuuy-sensei,” Syaoron teased. Yuuy laughed.   
  
“Everyone in Europe seemed to like growing their hair out, so I tried it. I’ve been thinking that I should cut it. But Fye seemed to like it, so I’m not so sure now.” Yuuy fiddled with a stray strand of hair that had escaped his ponytail. He smiled faintly. “It’s a good way to tell the two of us apart right away.”   
  
Down below, Fye was abruptly shoved out from under the umbrella. He was laughing loudly and Kurogane was shouting something at him, flailing a bit and wielding his umbrella like a weapon. This only seemed to amuse Fye further, because he doubled over, clutching his sides.   
  
“He’s easily annoyed,” he observed as Kurogane made a swing at Fye.   
  
“That’s because he’s a gruff guy, but if he really did hate Fye he wouldn’t hang around with him. This is how Kurogane-sensei shows he cares about Fye, I’d say.”   
  
“And Fye-sensei?”  
  
“I think if he stopped to think about it, he’d be surprised at how much he cares about Kurogane-sensei. I can see it when he looks at him whenever Kurogane-sensei isn’t looking. It’s a soft, loving expression. Fye would never make those kinds of faces unless he meant them.”  
  
“What do _you_ think of Kurogane-sensei?”  
  
“He’s a good person. He likes to hide it. And I think he cares about Fye. I’m happy for them.”   
  
“You speak of him fondly,” Syaoron said lightly, slyly glancing over at his teacher through his fringe.  
  
“Mm, well,” Yuuy laughed quietly. “Kurogane-sensei is a good guy, but he’s more Fye’s type. I don’t find him attractive, if that’s what Syaoron-kun was asking.”  
  
“It was,” Syaoron agreed cheerfully.   
  
“He’s a handsome, intelligent man, but I would never go for someone like him. Especially like this. I could never do that to Fye.”   
  
“Yuuy-sensei is such a sacrificing person. You’d give up your own feelings so your brother could be happy?”  
  
“Wouldn’t you do it too, Syaoron-kun?”  
  
“Yes,” he said, without any hesitation.   
  
“Besides,” Yuuy continued. “That situation will never happen. Just because we look alike doesn’t mean we act alike and like the exact same things.”   
  
“It’s surprising how many people can forget about that,” Syaoron said thoughtfully, watching now as Kurogane chased Fye around the school’s courtyard.  
  
“Kurogane-sensei knows. He could tell we were different people before he even knew I existed.”  
  
Fye, meanwhile, was busy curling himself around Kurogane, latching on and refusing to let go. Kurogane shoved at him violently but Fye said something that made the man blush. He bent down and picked up the umbrella, awkwardly holding it above the science teacher’s head. Even from this distance, the two standing at the window could see Fye’s wide, toothy grin.  
  
“It’s the same for you, isn’t it?” Yuuy asked after a moment of watching his brother fondly. “About Syaoran-kun and Sakura-chan.”  
  
“Yeah,” Syaoron agreed. “She’s like a sister to me, and who knows maybe someday she’ll be my sister. I can see why my little brother likes her so much. But even if I like to tease the two of them, I would never be so cruel as to try and steal her away from my precious little Syaoran.”   
  
“Exactly,” Yuuy murmured.  
  
“Besides,” Syaoron said slyly, “I prefer blondes.”   
  
Yuuy glanced down at the smirking student and laughed, louder than he had in a long time.  
  
“It’s bad for students to flirt with their teachers, Syaoron-kun,” Yuuy said between chuckles.  
  
“So is placing a bet, I suppose,” Syaoron said coyly, still looking endlessly amused. “But that isn’t stopping me from saying that I bet Fye-sensei confesses to Kurogane-sensei before my brother confesses to Sakura.”  
  
Yuuy thought this over, watching as the retreating figures of Kurogane and Fye disappeared into the haze the rain created. Yuuy wasn’t sure what possessed him to want to agree to Syaoron’s jests. He knew it was only a matter of time before Fye and Kurogane got it through their heads that they were both mutually attracted—seeing it from the outside, it was almost painfully obvious. The same, Yuuy realized, could be said about Syaoran and Sakura. It was all a matter of time.   
  
He turned back to the student. “I think I’d lose that bet.”  
  
“Maybe, who knows?”   
  
There was something inherently dangerous about accepting a bet like this. He knew that Yuuko, being Yuuko, would merely think it was a cute way to spend the time—and would probably make it into a school event—but the school board may not be as kind towards a teacher placing bets with a student. There was a line between teacher and student that shouldn’t be crossed, and yet…   
  
“Alright then,” Yuuy agreed. “Perhaps our Sakura-chan will prove too much for Syaoran-kun soon and I’ll win.”  
  
“She’s an extraordinary girl,” Syaoron agreed cheekily. “What do you want if you win the contest?”  
  
Yuuy thought about it, because there really wasn’t much he wanted. Really, he couldn’t even think of a good reason as for why he even accepted the bet. “A new cookbook would be nice, I guess…” He nodded. “What about you, Syaoron-kun?”  
  
“A kiss.”  
  
Yuuy laughed. “Please be serious, Syaoron-kun.”  
  
Syaoron laughed as well. “I’d like a full-course meal from you.”  
  
“Alright, it’s a deal,” Yuuy decided and held out his hand.  
  
Syaoron shook it, smirking. “Yep.”   
  
  
\---  
  
  
“Fye, good morning,” Yuuy greeted as he entered the classroom, surprised to see his brother there.  
  
“Yuuy,” Fye welcomed warmly as he spun around and went to his brother, hugging him tightly. Fye snuggled against him and Yuuy laughed, patting his brother on the back and resting his cheek against his brother’s shoulder.   
  
“What’re you doing in here, Fye?”  
  
Fye pulled away and grabbed his twin’s hand, gripping tightly. He pulled him to the window.   
  
“Look, the clouds have all cleared away,” Fye bubbled happily. “It’s going to be a nice day after all. The students will be really happy!”   
  
Yuuy looked and, sure enough, the clouds had cleared away and Yuuy could see the first blue sky in days. The sun was shining, and seeing it now, Yuuy realized just how much he’d missed it.   
  
“You could have watched the clouds from your own classroom, silly,” Yuuy reminded.  
  
Fye shrugged, smile softening. “Maybe I wanted to watch them with my brother?”  
  
“Alright,” Yuuy said, squeezing their joined hands. Fye beamed.  
  
Once at the window, the two watched the sky—clouds, birds, airplanes—for several minutes. They stood in silence, just enjoying the new day that’d dawned bright and sunny.   
  
“Don’t you have a class, Fye?”  
  
“No, I have first period free on Tuesdays!”   
  
“Ah, me too.”  
  
“We should spend every Tuesday like this, then,” Fye said decisively.   
  
“I’d like that,” Yuuy agreed.  
  
The bell signaling the beginning of class chimed, and Yuuy and Fye watched students for PE trot out onto the field.  
  
“Hyuu, there’s Kurorin-sensei,” Fye said brightly as the large PE teacher stomped out after his students, instructing them to stretch and run.   
  
“He’s very energetic,” Yuuy observed as he continued to shout orders at his students.   
  
“He is,” Fye agreed, and to anyone else it would have sounded just as amused as before, but Yuuy detected that gentle curl of fondness in his voice. “Hyuu! He’s taking off his jacket!”   
  
Yuuy looked away from his brother and saw that, sure enough, Kurogane was taking off his jacket and tying it around his waist.   
  
“It must be hot.”  
  
“Hm,” Fye agreed vaguely, pillowing his chin in his cupped hands, watching Kurogane fondly.  
  
“Or…” Yuuy paused, biting his lip in thought, and then: “Maybe it’s Kurogane-sensei who’s hot.”  
  
Fye’s mouth was already curved to say ‘yes’ before he paused and swiveled his head to look at Yuuy. Yuuy looked back, smiling absently. For a moment it looked like Fye was about to blush, but, instead, grinned.   
  
“Hyuu~ Yuuy, what’re you talking about?” Fye asked, laughing. Yuuy could detect the hint of nervousness in his voice, and could almost see the cogs turning in his mind, scrambling for a way out of an incriminating confession.   
  
“Overheating,” Yuuy corrected.   
  
Fye looked away, laughing still. “Oh, right! That must be it!”   
  
He sagged back down, leaning his elbows against the windowsill and cupping his chin with his hands, staring out the window again, trying to look neutral and uninterested. Yuuy saw the way his blue eyes followed no one but Kurogane.   
  
“Fye…”  
  
His brother glanced at him. “Mhm?”  
  
“You really like Kurogane-sensei a lot,” Yuuy said, not even bothering to ask. He smiled benignly when Fye sat up, looking surprised again. “You really can’t hide anything from me, you know.”   
  
Fye laughed. “I should have known you could see right through me.”   
  
“We’re brothers,” Yuuy dismissed with a shrug. “So I’m right?”  
  
Fye looked down at the ground, out the window, and then back to his brother. His blue eyes glimmered in the sunlight and he sighed lightly and just nodded.   
  
“I thought as much.”   
  
“Kuropi-sensei is a nice guy; I have a lot of fun whenever he’s around. And I’ve known him for a few years now.”  
  
“You’ve never thought of saying that to him?”  
  
“Kurorinta-sensei would blush and get angry,” Fye said with a pout. “It’s such a pain.”  
  
“Hm, maybe. But what if he likes you, too?”   
  
Fye laughed. “We sound like high school students, Yuuy. It’s okay, you don’t have to worry over me and my issues with Kurowan-sensei.”  
  
“I’ll worry because it’s you,” Yuuy scolded, bumping his elbow into Fye’s side. The latter squirmed and laughed, and Yuuy smiled at him kindly.   
  
“My brother is the best,” Fye announced, and not for the first time. He snuggled against him and Yuuy happily returned the affection.   
  
“Take it from an impartial third party,” Yuuy suggested. “Kurogane-sensei wouldn’t be near you so much if he didn’t like you.”   
  
Fye was quiet a moment before looking out the window again, watching Kurogane. When he looked back at Yuuy, his smile was warm and genuine.   
  
“Ah.”  
  
Yuuy smiled.   
  
Fye turned back towards the window, face twisted into a teasing grin. He wrenched the window open and shouted, “HYUUU! KUROPI-SENSEI IS SO MANLY!”   
  
The reaction was instant, Kurogane, glaring, whipped around and shouted back, “DON’T YOU HAVE A CLASS, YOU DAMN IDIOT?”   
  
Fye called back, “DON’T BE SO MEAN, KUROSAMA-SENSEI!”  
  
“DON’T BE SUCH AN IDIOT AND I WON’T HAVE TO TREAT YOU LIKE ONE!”  
  
Fye laughed loudly, ignoring Kurogane’s angry tone. He blew a kiss and the PE teacher sputtered, face bright red.   
  
Yuuy waved. “Good morning, Kurogane-sensei.”   
  
“Hn,” Kurogane grunted, giving a curt nod towards the other twin but still glaring at Fye. “Why can’t you be normal, too?”  
  
“That’s no fun!” Fye called back. “Besides, if I was just like Yuuy you wouldn’t loooooooove me.”  
  
“WHO LOVES YOU?!”  
  
Fye laughed. “You!”   
  
“I’LL KILL YOU, BASTARD!”  
  
“Kyaaa~ so scary!”   
  
“DAMN IT!”   
  
“So grumpy~!”   
  
Kurogane, clearly fed up with how this conversation was going, turned away from the window and stomped away. Fye watched him go, expression endlessly amused, but watching the retreating back affectionately. Yuuy just smiled at his brother, wondering if he’d noticed that Kurogane hadn’t denied Fye’s claims.   
  
“Well,” Fye said, stretching. “I should head back to my office. I still have some tests to grade before next period.”  
  
“Alright,” Yuuy said cheerfully. “Do you need help?”  
  
Fye shook his head. “Let’s walk home together today.” Fye smiled, hands folding behind his back. “I can meet you here.”  
  
“Sounds good,” Yuuy said. “I’ll see you then, Fye.”  
  
With a goodbye hug and a little wave, Yuuy was left alone. He glanced out the window one more time before shutting it on Kurogane’s shouts of ‘run faster!!’s and his bright, blushing face.   
  
“Not going to sabotage your brother’s relationship? You’ll lose the bet.”   
  
Yuuy turned to Syaoron, who dropped his book bag on a desk and strolled confidently towards the teacher. Yuuy smiled at him in greeting.   
  
“For a cookbook? Never,” Yuuy answered, his tone amused but the meaning behind those words nothing short of perfect seriousness.   
  
Syaoron moved to Yuuy’s side, close enough that they were almost touching. Yuuy continually smiled at him benignly.   
  
“I look forward to receiving my prize, then.”  
  
“So confident, Syaoron-kun!”   
  
“Maybe,” he agreed, taking a further step towards the blond. Yuuy took a step back, curious, but wishing to maintain a respectable distance between student and teacher. Syaoron followed and Yuuy laughed. Syaoron, smirking, mimicked the movement until Yuuy was hitting a chair with the backs of his knees. He sat down, curious to see what his student was up to. Syaoron leaned over him, caging him in by placing his hands on the back of the chair. They were close, and Syaoron watched Yuuy with keen eyes.  
  
“Very confident,” Yuuy corrected.   
  
“Mm,” Syaoron agreed.  
  
“And very improper,” Yuuy reminded as the boy brushed his fingers over Yuuy’s cheek.   
  
“Are you going to give me detention, sensei?” Syaoron breathed.   
  
“You’d probably enjoy it,” Yuuy said thoughtfully.  
  
“Probably,” Syaoron laughed, pulling back a bit.  
  
“Ah,” someone said as the door opened. “Please excuse my intrusion.”  
  
Syaoron pulled back as the door opened completely. “Syaoran.”  
  
“Nii-san!” Syaoran said in surprise. “You’re here to class early.”   
  
“I had things to discuss with Yuuy-sensei,” Syaoron said lightly.   
  
“Ah, so did I…”  
  
“Good morning, Syaoran-kun,” Yuuy greeted the slightly flustered boy, standing up. “Syaoron-kun and I were just finishing up. Come in!”   
  
“If it’s not too much trouble…”  
  
“Where’s your girlfriend?” Syaoron asked innocently.   
  
“Ah, nii-san!” Syaoran sputtered, blushing bright red. “Sakura is not…”  
  
“I never said it was Sakura,” his brother teased, smirking. Syaoran blushed further.  
  
Yuuy’s smile softened. “What was it that you needed help with, Syaoran-kun?”  
  
“Oh! Well, you see…”  
  
  
\---  
  
  
“I saw that,” Yuuy said a few days later, arms crossed.   
  
“Saw what?” Syaoron asked benevolently.   
  
“Telling Syaoran-kun and Sakura-chan to go on without you because you had something to discuss with me.” Yuuy smiled and tilted his head over his shoulder. “Shall we go to my office, then?”   
  
“Sounds fine to me,” Syaoron said cheerfully, smiling up at Yuuy. The two went towards the teacher’s office, Yuuy leading the way silently. Syaoron trailed behind him, smile never leaving his face.   
  
Once they reached the office, Yuuy sat down in his chair and offered a second one to the student. Syaoron locked the door and strolled over to him, flopping down into the seat after tugging it closer to where Yuuy sat.   
  
“What was it you needed to talk about?”  
  
“I just wanted them to walk home alone together,” Syaoron admitted casually.   
  
“I thought as much,” Yuuy said with a small chuckle.   
  
“So how are you going to reward me after I made a great stride for you winning the bet?” Syaoron asked with a delighted smirk.  
  
Yuuy laughed. “How do you want to be rewarded?”   
  
Syaoron just laughed again, looking at Yuuy with a calculating, thoughtful expression. Yuuy continued to smile, and wasn’t quite surprised when Syaoron stood up and moved over to his chair, peering down at him.   
  
“Hm?” Yuuy prompted.   
  
Syaoron kissed him, very briefly, on the lips. It was little more than a peck, and he pulled back after a very short moment. They looked at each other for a moment, and neither seemed very sure what to do after that initial line had been crossed.  
  
“Syaoron-kun,” Yuuy began tentatively. His smile was still in place, but he wondered why he was still smiling, given the situation. “If you’re playing a joke, it may be best to stop. This is a very dangerous situation.”   
  
“I’m not joking,” Syaoron promised. “You understand me and I understand you. We know what it’s like for our twins to find someone they love while we’re left watching them find their happiness. We know that, despite that, it doesn’t matter so long as they’re happy. We’re the other half of the twins. We understand that.”   
  
“Yes,” Yuuy admitted. “But…”  
  
“But nothing. Besides,” he added with a smirk. “I wasn’t lying when I said that I like blondes.”   
  
  
\---  
  
  
“Yuuy~ let’s go home together~!” Fye sang as he sashayed his way into Yuuy’s classroom after the last class of the day.   
  
Yuuy looked up from where he was busy dusting the flour from his hands. He smiled at his twin, unrolling his sleeves. “Where’s Kurogane-sensei today?”  
  
“Eh? What do you mean?”  
  
“When Kurogane-sensei is busy, that’s when you walk home with me,” Yuuy said with a melodramatic sigh. “My brother doesn’t like me anymore.”  
  
“Nooo,” whined Fye as he latched onto his brother’s arm. “You know that’s not true, Yuuy!”  
  
“I know, don’t worry,” Yuuy said with a laugh and patted his brother on the top of his head. “I was just teasing. I’m not as good at it as Fye is, though.”   
  
Fye looked relieved. “Ahahahaha~ Yuuy is so mean!”   
  
“I guess I’ve been hanging around too many people who like to tease,” Yuuy said thoughtfully.  
  
“Aha~ that must be it,” Fye said, still laughing. He looped arms with Yuuy and began walking.   
  
“Where _is_ Kurogane-sensei today?” Yuuy asked again, genuinely curious this time.   
  
“He’s off being a grump, I’m sure. If only he would accept my teasing as a token of my love like my cute little brother does.”  
  
“If only,” Yuuy agreed, laughing.   
  
“I think today is sword fighting practice,” Fye said thoughtfully, tapping his chin with his free hand. They walked.   
  
“Fye,” Yuuy said after a long few minutes of simply walking with his brother and enjoying his company.   
  
“Hm?”  
  
“What is it that you like about Kurogane-sensei?” Yuuy asked, hesitant.   
  
Fye looked genuinely surprised by the question and didn’t answer right away. They walked in silence, Yuuy letting Fye collect his thoughts and Fye searching for the right words.  
  
“I’ve never thought about it much,” Fye admitted after a pause. “At first, I just liked to tease him because he’d react so extremely. But after a while, I just really liked his honesty and his intensity. And he can tell when I’m lying.”  
  
“I wouldn’t think you’d like that.”  
  
“I didn’t at first,” Fye agreed. “But then when he and I started getting closer, I realized that meant he cared enough to notice. I missed being near you and close to you, so it felt nice to have someone who understood me, even just a little bit. You’re both special to me,” Fye added quickly, nuzzling his brother’s shoulder. “Neither of you could ever replace the other in my heart.”   
  
“Mm.”   
  
“In the end… it’s just that I feel that he understands me, even when I don’t want him to.”  
  
Yuuy blinked a few times, thinking back to someone who understood him, someone who wasn’t Fye. He looked at his brother and nodded.   
  
Fye laughed. “It’s good, to be understood by someone.”  
  
“It is.”  
  
Fye laughed.   
  
“I’m glad you found him, Fye.”  
  
“I just need to tell him all that,” Fye laughed, waving his hand dismissively.   
  
“I’m sure he’d feel the same way about you.”  
  
“You think?”  
  
“I do,” Yuuy insisted. “Because Kurogane-sensei is the type to say when he doesn’t like someone.”  
  
The smile Fye gave him was warm and tender, and his grip on his brother’s arm tightened.   
  
“Why do you ask anyway?”  
  
“I was just wondering,” Yuuy said with a shrug.   
  
“Yuuy is too honest. Besides, you can’t fool me.” He peered into his brother’s eyes, identical to his own. “Is there someone you like?”  
  
“I’m not sure,” Yuuy admitted, looking thoughtful. “It’s a complicated situation.”  
  
“Hmmm,” Fye hummed, continuing to observe Yuuy’s face. “…Are you blushing?”   
  
“Am I?” Yuuy asked, touching one of his cheeks in wonder. He very rarely blushed, and he couldn’t figure out just why he was doing it now.  
  
“You are!” Fye sounded equally surprised. “Wow, Yuuy, this person must be something else.”  
  
“Yeah…” Yuuy began but trailed off. “I hadn’t really thought about it before.”  
  
“Someone’s stealing my brother’s heart, oh woe is me,” Fye teased, but grinned, ruining his feigned sadness.   
  
“… Fye,” Yuuy asked hesitantly, “How old is Kurogane-sensei?”  
  
“Hm, I think he’s twenty-four,” Fye said, counting on his fingers.  
  
“Ah, a little kid,” Yuuy joked.  
  
“A teeny baby!” Fye agreed.   
  
“Still, three years difference isn’t a lot,” Yuuy mused, frowning. “Nothing like ten…”  
  
“Ten!?” Fye asked. “Hyuu~ is Yuuy going for an older woman now?”   
  
“No, no,” Yuuy reassured with a wave of his hand. “Nothing like that.”   
  
“Yuuy,” Fye said suddenly, coming to a halt and looking rather serious. “Who is it?”  
  
“I…”  
  
“Can you not tell me?” Fye asked, touching his brother’s cheek and looking genuinely concerned.   
  
Yuuy leaned into the touch. “It’s not that I can’t say,” he said quietly, “It’s that I don’t want to make a big deal over something that may be nothing. And I don’t even know how I feel myself.”   
  
“If something was seriously wrong, you would come to me, right?”  
  
“Absolutely, Fye,” Yuuy promised, curling his hand around the one on his cheek. “I promise.”  
  
Fye breathed a sigh of relief, but didn’t drop his hand from his brother’s face. Yuuy liked the touch, anyway, and didn’t mind.   
  
“I’m always here to help,” Fye told him seriously. “If you want it.”  
  
“I know, Fye. It’s the same for me.”  
  
The two brothers resumed walking towards the school gate. As they turned the corner, they caught sight of a familiar head of black, spiky hair retreating from them.   
  
“Ah, it’s Kuropai-sensei,” Fye said.  
  
“You should go to him,” Yuuy urged.   
  
“But what about you?” Fye’s hold on Yuuy’s hand didn’t slacken.   
  
“I’ll be fine. I’ll be sad if you let poor Kurogane-sensei walk home all by his lonesome,” Yuuy reassured, bumping his hip against Fye’s. “Go, I’ll call you later tonight.”  
  
“…Okay,” Fye said with a sigh, untangling himself from Yuuy’s side. “I’ll be waiting for your call.”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
Yuuy watched as Fye started running, yelling out, “KUROTAN-SENSEI! YOOHOO!”  
  
“W-WHAT NOW?” Kurogane shouted, turning around in time for Fye to clamp onto his neck. Yuuy watched them go, smiling fondly.   
  
  
\---  
  
  
It was a few days later that Yuuy lost the bet. It was raining and he had his afternoon classes cancelled due to the stoves used in class breaking down. The students hadn’t minded, and went home or to the library to work on their homework. Yuuy stayed in his classroom, doing nothing in particular. He heard the tweet of Kurogane’s whistle occasionally, and eventually came to the window to see what was going on. He watched from his window Kurogane shout some instructions at his students, who were all quick to get out of the rain as the class period ended. Kurogane stood out in the rain for a long moment before Fye made his way across the expanse of concrete, holding an umbrella and a towel. Kurogane watched him approach warily, but accepted the towel Fye held out to him. Fye was smiling softly, so much that from the distance Yuuy couldn’t tell he was smiling right away.  
  
Kurogane said something to Fye and Fye shook his head. When he spoke, Kurogane visibly stiffened and then his face tuned bright red. Fye stayed still as Kurogane sputtered at him and then turned his face away, still blushing and muttering something. Fye moved slowly, slinking over and curling so that his eyes met Kurogane’s.   
  
He asked something and Kurogane answered. Fye smiled, closed his eyes, and kissed him. Kurogane kissed him back, hesitantly.   
  
Yuuy smiled and turned away from the window to give the two some privacy.   
  
  
\---  
  
  
“You wanted to see me, sensei?” Syaoron asked the next day.  
  
“I lost,” Yuuy said plainly.  
  
Syaoron knew what he meant instantly, and shut the door behind him, clicking the lock in place.   
  
“Oh?”  
  
“So it would seem,” Yuuy said with a shrug. “So about you winning…”   
  
Yuuy stood from his chair and strolled over towards the student. Syaoron watched him approach, silent but curious. The man hesitated, before brushing back the younger’s fringe and planting a soft kiss upon the teenager’s forehead.   
  
“You wanted a kiss,” Yuuy clarified upon seeing Syaoron’s curious expression.   
  
Syaoron smirked up at him. “I hardly call that a kiss.”  
  
“That was only an appetizer,” Yuuy explained. Syaoron’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline but he seemed to like the sound of that.  
  
“Oh yes?”  
  
“You said you wanted a full-course meal,” Yuuy said casually, smiling. “And I keep my promises. A deal is a deal.”   
  
“Alright,” Syaoron murmured, smirk softening just a bit. He pulled his arms and tugged Yuuy down until their lips met in a prolonged kiss. Syaoron bit at Yuuy’s lips and pushed the teacher down into his office chair, climbing up onto his lap, straddling him. Yuuy touched Syaoron’s elbows, drawing him closer.  
  
“Syaoron-kun,” Yuuy murmured when they pulled apart for air. “What we’re doing could get us into a lot of trouble.”   
  
“I’m turning eighteen next year,” Syaoron reminded.  
  
“I can wait until then,” Yuuy said with a nervous swallow.  
  
“I suppose my full-course meal will have to be postponed,” Syaoron agreed. He smirked. “But like this it’s so much more fun.”  
  
“I guess I have a lot to learn about this kind of stuff,” Yuuy said with a tiny laugh. His fingers twisted in Syaoron’s hair.   
  
“This will be sensei’s first lesson,” Syaoron said with a throaty chuckle, sweeping down to bite Yuuy’s lips and kiss him again.


End file.
